Pot smoke signals start of O.C.’s Kush Expo

Nov. 18, 2011

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

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Girls promoting marijuana-related products greet visitors to the Kush Expo at the door of the Anaheim Convention Center. Friday kicked of the third such convention in Anahiem since the first in November 2011. Up to 15,000 people are expected to attend through Sunday. The expo includes everything from growing and smoking products to a "Hot Kush Girl Contest" on Sunday. PHOTO BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ, REPORTING BY ERIC CARPENTER, THE REGISTER

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Jason Stewart of Hypnotized Distributors and Universal Glass Smoke Shop in Garden Grove demonstrates some of the products for smoking marijuana, including small glass pipes and a large triple-filter bong. His company targets the wholesale market but also sold individual pipes from $10 up to $500. “We pride ourselves on all of our (glass) blowers being right here from the United States,” he said. PHOTO BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ, REPORTING BY ERIC CARPENTER, THE REGISTER

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Amanda Ramirez wears one of the pillow cases for sale at the ibudyou.com booth. The Los Angeles-based I Bud You, Inc. is going after a niche market, selling images of marijuana on bed spreads, pillow cases, aprons and other household items. “We're going after more than the traditional T-shirt market,” said Are Ramos, the company owner. “With the pillow cases we're promoting that you can go to bed dreaming about bud. We're all about Zen.” Pillowcases typically cost $55 online, but during the expo, Ramos' company was selling two cases for $50. PHOTO BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ, REPORTING BY ERIC CARPENTER, THE REGISTER

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Jason Stewart of Garden Grove based Universal Glass Smoke Shop holds a mullti-colored pipe. Designs included ornate colored glass, blue-and-white L.A. logos (similar to the Dodgers) and red-and-green reggae-inspired designs. No marijuana was allowed to be sold at the Kush Expo, but the event includes a smoking patio so medical-marijuana patients can try out pipes and other products. PHOTO BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ, REPORTING BY ERIC CARPENTER, THE REGISTER

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“Magic” Jason Ellingson, 38, created the character “Henry Hemp” nearly three years ago, as he says, “to promote the truth about Hemp.” The native of Washington state said he had a daughter two years ago and friends encourage him to tone it down. “What, I'm going to stop telling the truth just because I become a father?” he says. “By using more hemp, we could save forests of trees and stop using so much oil … The politicians are the kings and queens out there arguing over the bull (expletive). I'm just the jester out there spreading the truth.” PHOTO BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ, REPORTING BY ERIC CARPENTER, THE REGISTER

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Aaron Cortez, the vice president of Aliso Viejo-based Weed360.com, said his company launched at a Los Angeles marijuana convention in August. He describes the company as “like a Craigslist for the marijuana industry,” allowing web users a one-stop place to find doctors, collectives, growers, lawyers, musicians and much more. Cortez said he sees it as an industry that has huge growth potential once more people realize that “these are legitimate businesses and the bad businesses are weeded out.” PHOTO BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ, REPORTING BY ERIC CARPENTER, THE REGISTER

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Lorelei Trask, 45, of Ontario, smokes marijuana from a pipe outside the Kush Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center. She said she has used medical cannabis since shattering her leg in a skiing accident in 1998. “I use marijuana because it keeps me from abusing pills and allows me to keep walking around. There are some older people in my family I have to deal with, but most people have the knowledge to accept that it's a good thing for me.” PHOTO BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ, REPORTING BY ERIC CARPENTER, THE REGISTER

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The Kush Expo in Anaheim initailly raised concern because it includes a smoking patio just outside the Anahiem Convention Center doors. Oraganizers say such a patio is necessary to allow medical-marijuana users to medicate, then return to the expo floor. This smoker, who asked not to be identified by name, said he suffered a gash in his head -- an injury that occurred during a basketball game. PHOTO BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ, REPORTING BY ERIC CARPENTER, THE REGISTER

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Visitors to the Kush Expo walk a long green carpet toward the designated 215 medication area. The area, at the back of the Anaheim Convention Center, is named after the state bill allowing for medical-marijuana use. Expo organizers lobbied for and got a smoking patio to allow card-carrying patients to medicate and to even try out new products on the patio. PHOT BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ, REPORTING BY ERIC CARPENTER, THE REGISTER

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Tony Vanpelt, 43, of Corona, said since becoming a father, he understands the concern of parents who think marijuna products shouldn't resemble anything children would be attracted to. These lolipops at the Kush Expo contained no marijuana extract, but some do. “I think it's a good chance to talk about what's acceptable for children and what's geared toward adults. Since becoming a father, I've toned it down and taken away a lot of the bright colors that might appeal to kids.” PHOTO BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ, REPORTING BY ERIC CARPENTER, THE REGISTER

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Tony Vanpelt sells non-medicated lollipops and canned ice tea that promotes the pot culture but contains no marijuana. His company, Chronic Candy, also sells “medicated” candy, food and drinks – just not at the Kush Expo. PHOTO BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ, REPORTING BY ERIC CARPENTER, THE REGISTER

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The different strains of marijuana that are produced by seeds were shown by So Cal Seed Co., a seed bank. No marijuana is allowed to be sold at the Kush Expo, but companies promote products for everything from growing and cultivating to trimming, storing and smoking. Expo organizers say they chose Anaheim because its centrally located in Southern Calilfornia and the expo draws up to 15,000 visitors. PHOTO BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ, REPORTING BY ERIC CARPENTER, THE REGISTER

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A large poster promotes the Hot Kush Girl Contest on Sunday at the Kush Expo. Organizers say that while there is a serious purpose and business deals being conducted at the expo, they also want to entertain and celebrate the marijuana culture. The contest typically helps attract the largest crowds of the weekend to the Convention Center on Sundays. PHOTO BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ, REPORTING BY ERIC CARPENTER, THE REGISTER

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The Kush Expo attracts visitors of all ages -- 18 and older -- to check out medical-marijuana products and business opportunities. It's also a chance for some to meet with like-minded people and celebrate the marijuana culture. A Florida-based company has sponsored three such expos in Anaheim since November 2010. PHOTO BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ, REPORTING BY ERIC CARPENTER, THE REGISTER

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Sean Cline, 23, left, a medical-marijuana user and part of the Terra Holistic Collective based in Garden Grove, smokes on the patio outside the expo doors. 'I got into this business because I like helping people. And we deal with people with M.S. (multiple sclerosis), severe pain and other medical problems. ÃSure some people abuse it - they may get (medical-pot) cards when they donɃ•t really need it. But that•s on the doctors. They need to determine who should have it. WeÃ•re here to serve the patient.Ó Cline says he smokes to relieve anxiety. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Girls promoting marijuana-related products greet visitors to the Kush Expo at the door of the Anaheim Convention Center. Friday kicked of the third such convention in Anahiem since the first in November 2011. Up to 15,000 people are expected to attend through Sunday. The expo includes everything from growing and smoking products to a "Hot Kush Girl Contest" on Sunday. PHOTO BY PAUL RODRIGUEZ, REPORTING BY ERIC CARPENTER, THE REGISTER

ANAHEIM – A three-day medical-marijuana convention known as the Kush Expo got under way Friday in Anaheim, attracting entrepreneurs, medical-cannabis users and recreational users looking to celebrate pot culture.

The event, named after a slang term for high-grade marijuana, includes about 130 vendors and is expected to draw up to 15,000 people through Sunday to the Anaheim Convention Center.

It's the third such convention to be held in Anaheim since last year. The expo initially sparked controversy for including a "smoking patio" just outside the convention-center doors, so that card-carrying patients could medicate during the event.

"I just don't think it's any big deal anymore," said Lorelei Trask, 45, of Ontario, smoking cannabis from a pipe in the smoking patio. "For people my age and younger, they seem to fully accept that this is a legitimate form of medication."

Inside the convention, dozens of potential patients filled out questionnaires and spoke to doctors about stress, anxiety, pain and other more severe medical conditions, attempting to get medical-marijuana cards.

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